The Art of Being Cool

Apple of My Eye

2012-09-10T20:38:00.000-04:00

Because of my recent and expecting expansion of Party For Autism Chapters across North Carolina, I have been considering getting office space. In this office space, I might finally make the change....to Apple. If you really new me, you'd know that I am so against new technology. I'm still rocking "Team Dumb Phone" all the way, until my phone spontaneously combusts! However, to keep my hopeful new office modern, and up-to-date, I may invest in a few Apple products. On my hunt, however, I started to get excited about my new change in lifestyle, especially after I found these cute Macbook stickers! There are over 25 of these that I found; however, below are a few of my favorites! 1. VW Sticker
2. Darth Vader Sticker
3. Wormy Sticker (so clever!)
4. Apple Juice....eh, get it?
5. Pacman
6. Eve in the Garden
7. Apple Evolution (of course, this one is my favorite!)
Which one is your favorite? Find more here!

Because I'm Nerdy

2012-09-07T01:35:00.000-04:00

I have rapidly turned into a big science geek, now that I am officially a Biology Major! My course load this semester are the following classes: Zoology; Animal Behavior; Ecology; and Organic Chemistry. I can't even count anymore how many people's jaws have dropped after I tell them what I'm taking; however, I very much so prefer my schedule this semester than any other semester I've had here! I love knowing why things work the way that they do, so these classes are what I've been waiting for my whole school career! Ahhhhhh! I'm so glad that I am comfortable sharing the nerdy side of myself. And now that the cat is out of the bag, I can finally share all of my nerdy finds!
1. Mitosis nom-noms! Eeeeep! I plan on making these as soon as I can!
2. Genetic Humor Oh, the play on words just slay me!
3. A Beautiful love note. Matt (my boyfriend) could use this line on me any day =)
4. Bathroom Biology Humor Who doesn't enjoy a little bathroom biology humor every now and then? What's your nerdiest moment? I just shared at least 4 of mine =)

Life Lately.

2012-09-05T23:45:00.000-04:00

My life has been a world-wind of a whimsical mix of fortunate and stressful events. Time is no longer of the essence; however, strangely I enjoy my crazy, event filled life! I'm still living the life of a pre-med student, and now I can officially add CEO and fashion model to my title. My socialite dreams are definitely budding, and for all of the right reasons. For those who don't know, my goal is to become a socialite, not for my personal benefit, but for networking opportunities for the non-profit organization that I started. Anyways, I have a lot to make up for three months gone, so I'll go ahead and get started =) 1. Camp Darrell was a success! Camp Darrell is the camp that I started 3 years ago through Party For Autism, in honor of my cousin. This was our first year having camp at a University, and I can definitely say that this was the best year yet! We had 10 amazing campers, and they were all brave enough to go through the daily ropes challenges.

I also had an amazing staff this year!

2. I hiked up a mountain! For resident advising training, we were sent away to Camp Hanes for a weekend in North Carolina. There, I climbed my first hike, an hour long trip up a (baby) mountain. I was so proud when I got to the top!

3. I got a modeling gig! So, funny story....I don't even know how this happened! One day before work, I went to the Paul Mitchell school for a model call for my city's Fashion Week just to see what a casting was like, and after getting a few pictures taking, I will now be walking in our Fashion Week! and because of that, I've been doing a whole lot of this... 4. I found love =) Probably the best thing from this summer was finding my new boyfriend, Matt. After my heartbreak with my ex, I didn't think that I would be able to accept his love...but he definitely took me by surprise. (I decided that I didn't really like any of our pictures together...so picture is pending. Ahhhh, the suspense!) Other than that, I've just been enjoying my life with all of the new people I've been meeting this year! For those in school, cheers to an awesome semester!

NACURH Conference at CU Boulder! Part 1

2012-06-05T11:12:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! After being in a sleep coma for the past 10 hours, I am now up and ready to talk about my amazing trip to Colorado! Now that I was appointed my Resident Student Association's Treasurer, I was afforded the opportunity to go the the NACURH (National Association of College and University Residence Halls). This conference was amazing! I have never seen so many students enthusiastic about the same cause before. It was like school spirit on steroids! The conference took place at the University of Colorado at Boulder and was from June 1-June 4th. The plane ride from North Carolina to Colorado was only 3 hours, however with the time difference, I only lost 1 hour of my day! As we flew over Denver, Colorado, I couldn't help but notice the...nothing! There was nothing but land as we flew over! No trees or shrubs and looooots of sky....way different than North Carolina. However once we landed and got on our bus to Boulder, we were able to see the beautiful mountain range! It seriously looked like a picture even though I was pretty close to it. I got to know that mountain range very well, especially after our bus of 50+ people broke down on the side of the road...for hours! But as I always say, being stranded on a conference bus in the middle of nowhere Colorado for hours is the best way to meet friends! Thank goodness it was light outside, or it probably could have turned into a horrible horror movie fast!#jeeperscreepers

Your Hand Marks Are Permanent

2012-04-19T14:55:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you know about the Anti-Bullying Campaign Party For Autism is doing for children with special needs. Here is the excerpt written on our website:

"“Children with special needs are ten times more likely to be bullied than other kids.” This statistic is what made our CEO, Bree Law, start Party For Autism. After witnessing a classmate be pushed around and humiliated on a high school bus without anyone stepping in to stop the violent acts, Law knew that she had to do something, not only for her classmate, but for other people with special needs that are bullied on a daily basis, and have no one to turn to. Then rose the “Your Hand Marks are Permanent” Campaign, that will be starting at UNC Charlotte the week of April 23rd. Posters will be hung around the university’s campus, as well as an awareness wall in the student union that will display the signatures of students who vow to bring awareness to the issue."

This campaign will be going on all year, and hopefully the years to come to bring awareness and hopefully a solution to this problem. As CEO of Party For Autism, I would like to invite all of my fellow bloggers to publicly join our campaign, the best way us bloggers know how: by picture!

Here are the instructions:

1. Take a picture of yourself with a painted hand mark on your face (the paint can be any color), like so...

2. Send the picture to bree.law@partyforautism.org and say that you give us permission to use your picture of artofbeingcool.blogspot.com and partyforautism.org.

And that's it!

I appreciate in advance anyone who vows to join our campaign. This awareness will hopefully show these children that they are not alone in their every day struggles.

If we get more than 50 bloggers to join our campaign by May 30th, we will send 1 child with special needs to our week long summer camp, Camp Darrell FOR FREE!

Read More about the "Your Hand Marks Are Permanent" Campaign here.

UNCC's Holi!

2012-04-16T00:38:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to come back and share my pictures from UNCC's first annual Holi Moli! This was such a cool event, and I am so glad that I was apart of the group that put this together! Here are a few of my favorite pictures!

Holi Moli!

2012-04-12T00:58:00.000-04:00

I am so excited! My school, thanks to my fellow members on the Campus Activities Board, have finally accepted the tradition of Holi, a Hindu "Festival of Colors" to bring in the Spring! We were suppose to do this event last week; however due to rain, we had to cancel it. But I am so excited for tomorrow! I have loved the idea of Holi ever since I heard the "Soni Soni" song below. Our Holi festival won't be as amazing as the the video below though, well maybe minus the awesome choreography!

Here's a video of when Chapel Hill did Holi Moli a few weeks ago. I'll make sure I post pictures from today!

DIY: Cute Canvas Shoes

2012-04-09T00:48:00.000-04:00

I've recently been in such the mood to do DIY, but have so little time. So until my next break, I will have to settle with admiring those with the time and creativity! Check out these cute canvas shoes that have been personalized using only paint and tape! Make sure to check out the full DIY here!

Etsy Shop- DollyRocker Vintage

2012-04-04T02:27:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I am back with my favorite Etsy Shop of the week! Most of the time, it's hard for me to find clothing on Etsy that's an affordable price that I would actually wear, but I have fallen in love with DollyRocker Vintage! Check out the goodies below! Make sure to go check out the shop!

Music Mondays- Soley

2012-04-02T13:20:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! I hope that you had a great weekend! I will have information on a later post about my weekend. Today marks the second day of Autism Awareness month, so this will be a busy month for me! Anyways, here is my pick for Music Monday. Enjoy!

Doing My Part. Vote against Amendment One!

2012-03-28T15:31:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! On Monday, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Protect NC Families, an organization the is helping promote awareness of the Amendment One. This amendment states that marriage between one man and one women will be the only legal union that will be recognized in our state. If this amendment is passed, not only will same sex couples be banned from legal marriage, but children of unwed parents may lose health benefits as well! Therefore, thanks to my friend, Yasmine, I was able to do my part and volunteer! Here are pictures below of us "hard at work!"

This sign hung over the bathroom door. Love it!

If you can, make sure that you vote against this Amendment on May 8th!Have a great day!

Etsy Shop-Zwzzy

2012-03-27T07:37:00.002-04:00

Midweek Dinner Party

2012-03-22T15:38:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I threw a little dinner party since one of my best friends came in to town from Maryland. I had not seen her in about a year, so I had to make sure I did something special for her before she left! This was just what I needed, after the funk that I've been in. Plus, I have been on a crazy cooking craze, so I was more than happy to cook for my friends. My guy friends were especially happy!The Menu:Sauted Chicken with OnionsOven Baked Salmon in a honey glazeCorn on the CobSpringtime Pasta

All that was left of the chicken and salmon before I could grab my camera!

My friends wanted to play chess, but unfortunately a few of my pieces are missing after I moved to my apartment; however, there way no stopping them! I learned that chap stick, a lighter and a dime make perfect chess pieces!

We've all decided that this needs to be a regular thing! Maybe next time one of the guys will cook instead!Have you thrown any dinner parties recently?

A Day in Charleston

2012-03-20T08:05:00.000-04:00

The first week of March, my university had our Spring Break. Though I spent most of my week prepping for Party For Autism events and sleeping (basically a foreign language to me, being a Biology major), I took one day to drive to Charleston with my friend, Kortney and her little girl, Frankie (a.k.a. Frankenstein, Frankfurter, Frank of America, Frank N' Beans, Frankie Doodle, and many more ;)). Sometimes it's healthy to just get away from it all, even if it's just for one day! Plus, Charleston is beautiful!

She looks so innocent, right? Wrong! Below is a $800 painting that Frank of America almost knocked over.

Earlier that day, we went to the aquarium to see the 4D Dora movie for Frankfurter; however, she did not like the special effects! We ended up getting drenched by all of the puddles Dora decided to step in and rivers she decided to jump into! We decided after that, we might as well go to the beach!

Scarf: Forever 21; Shirt: Forever 21; Shorts: Target (only $12!)

Welp, that's enough pictures for one post! Where would you go for a day, to get away?

Music Mondays- Not in Love

2012-03-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I back again with my first Music Monday in about 2 months! Please read my post from over the weekend to see why I dropped off he blogosphere.Anyways, enjoy the song below, and the incredible fan-made music video!

Life Lately

2012-03-16T15:57:00.000-04:00

Hello, all! I know that I dropped off the blogosphere for a while because I was in a bit of a funk, but I am back! Life hasn't been as breezy as the picture above would lead you to believe. Biggest update: Alex and I unfortunately broke up, after 2 years of dating. I was the one who officially called it off; however, it is so much more complicated than anyone could understand. That's been most of the reason that I've stopped blogging. After being with someone for some of the most critical times in your life, it's hard to bounce right back into life without them.

On a more positive note, another reason that I haven't been blogging is that Party For Autism has been expanding! I was able to start a chapter at a local high school, as well as continuing the chapter at my university, and things have been great! We working on a cookbook now for parents who have their children with autism on special diets!

Thank you so much for continuing to follow my blog and for your support!

Music Mondays- Goyte Feat. Kimbra

2012-01-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone! Life has been such a roller coaster lately! I appologize for not posting as often as I used to. I think that it's time for me to post another "Diary of a Pre-Med Student" post very soon! Anyways, it's a very gloomy day over in this region of town. I am praying for snow, though I doubt it will happen anytime soon! Anyways, have a great day out there! Here's a song that will be stuck in your head for a while ;)

I also am in lust of this song by Kimbra called Settle Down! Her dance moves are killer! So jazzy!

Socialite Adventures-Changing my Wardrobe Pt. I

2012-01-09T13:11:00.000-05:00

I've noticed lately that my closet has been looking a little...bland. A whole bunch of nothing to wear. Ever feel that way? Therefore (thanks to a big help from my generous mommy), I have decided to change my style. Though my mom is very generous, I wouldn't let her take me on a full shopping spree or anything, so I just picked out a few signature pieces that will help me achieve my everyday socialite style.Style Type: Classy with EdgeInstead of trying to be edgy with my clothing, I have decided to have classier pieces with edgier accessories. So far, these are the clothes that I have purchased. My accessories with be shown in Part 2.The Clothes3 Comfy Sweater (these will be paired with skirts/shorts with tights)

2 Cute Dresses ( I've name the blue one, "The Date" dress and the black one "The Art Gallery" dress)

3 Silky long sleeve shirts

*All clothes were purchased (not sponsored) by Old NavyI have a long way to go to fill up my wardrobe, however, these first essentials will definitely lead me on my way. And now that I have a new job (yay!), I will be able to afford more clothing. I have my first orientation for work today at O'Charley's! I'm so excited! Hope I do well.

Friend Adventures: And these are my friends...

2012-01-06T20:32:00.001-05:00

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Maniacs What a beautiful day in January it was today! We are not use to such hot weather this time of year in North Carolina. I had the amazing opportunity to spend this day with my lovely, and very crazy friends, before we all go back to college. Here are some photos of our day. We covered lots of territory today, including Q'doba, World Market, and Old Navy. Let the stranger's whispers and judging stares begin!Note: Please try your hardess not to judge us. Okay...you can judge. (via my amazing photography. I love this photo!) (J Andy for President) (definitely a good choice for Pres-Elect) No friend adventure would be complete without a shopping cart and an echo microphone. Have a great weekend!

Socialite Adventures-My Holiday Blunder

2012-01-05T17:16:00.000-05:00

(I was trying to show off Mandy's Christmas bows!)I have decided to make 2012 my year of becoming a socialite in my city of Charlotte, NC. Easier said than done, right? Well, in my first post about my new quest for the socialite life, I focused more on my physical appearance-my weight, more specifically. Have I reached my goal weight of 127 yet? Heavens no! I honestly slipped up over the holidays which cause dramatic weight gain. I went from eating only 1200-1400 calories a day to eating....yeah, I'm not even sure how many calories I ate this holiday! I probably cause my body more harm that week of only eating 1200-1400 calories than good. My body probably went into starvation mode, so when it saw all of the yummy Christmas fat that I was eating on Christmas, it probably held onto it for dear life! The heaviest I got was 138! After Christmas, I decided to get on a 2000 calorie diet, like I was before, and just step up the working out. I got the Zumba 2 Wii game for Christmas, so I have been using that, along with walking Mandy! Now I am down to 133 lbs, and I have muscles! I can feel ab muscles that I've never felt before!I will reach 127 one day, but I'm not stressing out about it like I did before. Besides, the reason that I want to be a socialite in the first place has nothing to do with my appearance. Party For Autism, the non-profit organization I started, is the reason I want to become a socialite in Charlotte, so that I can spread the word and have bigger events. I'll keep you guys updated on my success!
*Please vote for Mandy and I on Pet Bytes! All you have to do is join Pet Bytes and "like" our blog post here! We can win $250 for Party For Autism!

Etsy Shop- Barberry and Lace

2012-01-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone has safely recovered from the 'itis and is back to their daily routines! After about a month of sparingly blogging, I think that I've gotten my blogging kick back! Today, I would like to introduce you to my new obsession, Barberry and Lace. This etsy shop specializes in unique jewelry, and the one accessory that they have that I instantly fell in love with is their pocket watch necklace! I have picked out a few of my favorite accessories below, so check them out! Also make sure to check out the website!
Don't forget to stop by the shop and tell me which ones are your favorites!

Ask Bree: Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas/Free Christmas Gift!

2011-12-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

(Me and my models at the Nightmare Before Christmas Show I planned 2 years ago)
Happy Holidays everyone! The Holidays are among us, Christmas especially! I was a procrastinator and did all of my holiday shopping on Christmas eve. However, for all of those SUPER procrastinators out there, have no fear! There is still time to get Christmas gifts for those people that you know that you won't see today. If you have procrastinated, there's a 99% chance that you aren't exactly sure what you want to purchase, or make. Well below I have a few ideas. Enjoy!1. Super Stocking (source)Never underestimate the power of a super stocking. At this time of year, stores are basically giving away Christmas items, so finding affordable things to stuff your stocking with shouldn't be a problem! Depending on the person, you can stuff your super stocking with dvds, christmas candy, scarves, accessories and much more! If it's for someone who is just as super as the stocking, try your hand at writing a poem or sweet letter to include in the stocking.
2. Make up Bag (source) This would be a great gift for a teenager! NYC and Elf have really affordable eye shadows, makeup brushes and nail polishes for as low as $1 each, so a small bag full of these goodies would make any trend setting girl excited! This is actually one of my gift ideas, so feel free to steal it. I'll comment below and let you know if she likes it ;)
3. Baked Goodies (source)I don't know about anyone else, but food is the way to my heart. If baking is your thing, please bake and make someone very happy this holiday! If baking is not your thing, PLEASE stay out of the kitchen! The Art of Being Cool does not condone burning your house down on Christmas day...or any other day for that matter!
4. Date Night (source)If you have not gotten your significant other a gift yet, shame on you! It's okay though; times are hard! Use a special date night to substitute, or add on to your Christmas gift. You can take them out for a night on the town to a place that they've never been to, go watch a movie on the other side of town, or plan a romantic stay in for the two of you. This date night can also work for best friends. Take your friend out to the cool bakery in your town's art district, or to a comedy show. The key is just being a bit creative ;)
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Pre-New Years Resolution Challenge/ Mission: Socialite

2011-12-22T15:31:00.001-05:00

Hello, Everyone! I have decided that I need to make a pre-resolution, and I would love to invite you to join me! This pre-resolution has been inspired by my recent decision on working my way up to socialite status in my city, Charlotte, NC. Why do I all of a sudden want to become a socialite? It's not so that I can be invited to all of the best parties or top restaurants, or anything. It's for the sake of my non-profit organization, Party For Autism. I feel that in order for Party For Autism to have the most success, it needs a well known leader standing behind it. Therefore, I will be dedicating my time in becoming a socialite, and showing you guys every step of the way!First step on the socialite checklist is outward appearance and inward health. I have been struggling with 5-10 pounds in my mid section that I would love to finally get rid of in my mid section. Therefore, I have put together a health plan that will help me beautify both my insides and my outsides! Current Statistics:

Height: 5'7"Weight: 134.5 lb Waist: 30 inchesGoal Weight: 127 by January 6thGoal Waist: 27 inches by January 6thBelow is the diet plan that I have been following. I've been on the diet already for 3 days, and I started at 137, so I think it's working! It could just be water weight though.Here are the rules for Joining my Socialite Diet Challenge:
Two Week Diet Challenge:*Calorie intake: between 1250-1400 calories per day (it is unhealthy for women to eat less that 1000 calories a day, so don't modify this too much!)*No Meat- I am allowed one cheat on Christmas though ;)*2.5-3 litres of water* split calories into 5-6 meals a day (3 meals and 2 snacks)*No Fast Food (no exceptions!)
Some foods that I have included to my diet are Special K cereals, Special K protein bars, yogurt, cheese and crackers, and fruits. The biggest thing that has helped me so far is writing down everything that I eat and the calories that go with each item. That way, at the end of the day, if I'm short a few calories, I can sneak in a piece of chocolate! Yum!
Two Week Exercise Challenge:BRAZILLIAN ZUMBA!I have decided that since I am a dancer at heart, the best exercise for me is Zumba! Plus, on the forum boards that I've read, woman have reported losing more than 1000 calories from 1 hour of intense Zumba. The only problem, is that I'm not a member of any gym, and don't have the money to do so. Therefore, I have resorted to the wonderful world of Youtube! Below are my two favorite Brazillian Zumba videos on youtube that I put on repeat and do for 2 hours a day; one hour early in the day, one hour in the evening.The teacher's name is Helio, and he is amazing!

Anyone up for my challenge? If so, I would love to do check-ins, and possibly have a prize for the winner ;)*I will also be launching a new series called Mission: Socialite that will give you guys the tricks that I'm using in my hopes of becoming a local socialite!

Holiday Essentials: Snowman Tea Kettle

2011-12-07T09:40:00.002-05:00

(source)Good Morning! I hope that you guys are enjoying my list of Holiday Essentials! Next on my list is my favorite thus far; this absolutely adorable Snowman Tea Kettle! I don't know how my winter holidays have survived without it! I found this gem at Junk To Gem on Etsy! Isn't this adorable!With such an amazing tea kettle, I will have to leave you with an equally amazing tea recipe for the holidays! Try this super easy, and super delicious tea recipe!Spiced Holiday Tea Ingredients
2 cups water

3 tea bags (unflavored black tea)

4 star anise

1 3 inch cinnamon stick

1 cup passion fruit nectar

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Add tea bags, anise, and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat. simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and cinnamon stick. Stir in nectar, honey, and lemon juice. Heat through.
2. Pour tea mixture into four heat-proof cups, floating a star anise on top of each. Makes 4 servings.

Holiday Essentials: Door Wreaths

2011-12-06T07:10:00.000-05:00

(source)Happy Holidays, everyone! To continue with my list of holiday essentials, I bring to you, Door Wreaths! I've always wanted to own a wreath because to me, they are a symbol of the happy holidays that will be coming through your door. However, I've never seen wreaths these festive before! Check out a few of my favorites, and let me know which on is your favorite! How are you decorating your door this holiday season? I'm going to talk my roommates into pitching in to buy one of these cute wreaths! Help me pick out which one below!(source)(source)(source)(source)(source)Which one do you like the most?